Crystal Thrown Against The Wall
by QueenOfTheDreamers87
Summary: 1978. Bellatrix is Voldemort's very best soldier, and he's played with her body more than once. But when Alastor Moody uses the Cruciatus Curse against her during a battle, she's badly damaged, and it's Voldemort, not her husband Rodolphus, who brings her back to life.
1. Chapter 1

_August 1978_

 _Outside Aberdeen, Scotland_

" _Stupefy!"_

"I don't think so!" Rodolphus Lestrange blocked the Stunning Spell hurled at him by Fabian Prewett. He whipped back a Killing Curse, but Prewett rolled out of the way, and Rodolphus growled beside Voldemort.

"Lestrange, go up that hill and find out how the Malfoys are doing against Potter and the Longbottoms," snarled Voldemort. He aimed his wand at Fabian Prewett and quickly incanted a Killing Curse, but the boy Disapparated just in time. Voldemort frowned. "Coward."

Voldemort spent the next two minutes killing a few members of the Order of the Phoenix, maiming a few others, and watching as they Disapparated one by one. Finally he heard Rodolphus Lestrange scream,

"Master! My Lord!"

Voldemort's head snapped to the side, and he began to trot toward the sound of Rodolphus' voice. His boots pattered on the grass, and he shot one Killing Curse at a stray Order witch as he ran. He finally reached Rodolphus, who was cradling his wife, Bellatrix, on the ground. Bellatrix was still, unmoving, white-faced and pale-lipped, and suddenly Voldemort froze.

"Who killed her?" he asked, his heart thudding. Rodolphus shook his head, his eyes watering.

"N-No, My Lord. It was… I went to check on the Malfoys. They were doing fine. I came back to fight. I heard her screaming over here. I found Alastor Moody casting the Cruciatus Curse on her. I've no idea how long he'd been casting it. She stopped screaming. I tried to kill him, but he Disapparated. Her wand was on the ground near where he'd been standing."

"He'd Disarmed her," Voldemort nodded. He rushed to Rodolphus and turned his head, yelling, "Abraxas, clean up the mess and finish this! I'll meet you at Headquarters!"

He took Bellatrix from Rodolphus' hands and whispered,

"I'm taking her to Malfoy Manor."

"Please, Master; shouldn't I take her home to Castle Lestrange?" Rodolphus asked, but Voldemort snapped his eyes up and snarled at Rodolphus,

"Get out of the way, Rodolphus. She is your wife in name only and you know it. Give her to me."

"Yes, Master." Rodolphus carefully passed Bellatrix's tiny body over to Voldemort. He rose, cradling her carefully, and he bent down to hear whether she was breathing. She was, though her breath was slow and rickety.

"Come now, Bella," Voldemort murmured. He Disapparated at once, coming to outside Malfoy Manor. He walked up to the house, and the doors opened for him with wandless magic. Dobby the House-Elf scurried up to him and worried,

"Is she d-d-dead, sir?"

"No. Bring tea to my suite," Voldemort insisted, and Dobby snapped his fingers and disappeared. Voldemort walked down the corridor, Bellatrix weighing hardly anything in his arms, and then he walked up a flight of winding stairs. He reached his suite of rooms and opened it wandlessly, walking inside and kicking the door shut.

Bellatrix had been in here before, on a few drunken nights. The two of them had seen one another naked before. She was madly in love with him, he knew, and a few times, he'd appeased that love. He'd given her the chance to show him that she was worthy of his physical attentions. He'd played with her body, and he'd liked it. She'd been delicious, those few times he'd had her. And Voldemort knew she'd enjoyed herself. He'd been in her mind during her orgasms, enjoying the explosive pleasure she'd felt. And he knew that her marriage to Rodolphus Lestrange had been an arrangement when they'd been eighteen, that the two of them led entirely separate lives.

But right now, all Voldemort cared about was how damaged Bellatrix had been by the Cruciatus Curse she'd suffered. Moody had done it for revenge, he knew. Bellatrix had tortured Moody two months earlier at a battle. Now the Ministry had given Aurors permission to use Unforgivables against Death Eaters, and Moody had taken advantage. He'd probably lost his temper, taken his revenge, and then realised just how good it could feel to torture an enemy. Perhaps he'd even lost track of time. But in order to get Bellatrix to this state, he'd have needed to hold the Curse for a solid five minutes or more.

"Bellatrix." Voldemort lay her on his bed and began pulling off her boots. "Bella."

She didn't answer. She lay limply on the bed, white as the sheets and duvet upon which she'd been laid. A tea cart dissolved into existence beside Voldemort, a service for two, and he pinched his lips. How did the damned House-Elf expect Bellatrix to drink tea right now? Still, if he had only included tea for one, he might have been beaten. Clever little creature.

"Bella," Voldemort said loudly, "We won the battle. No real casualties I could see on our side. Apart from you. But we killed at least four or five of theirs."

Still no answer. No reply at all. Bellatrix breathed slowly but lay as though dead, her wild curls billowing around her head. Voldemort sighed and brought a chair from the edge of the room up to the side of the bed. He sat and whispered,

" _Legilimens._ "

Her mind was a swirl of chaos. Voldemort could see Moody, crazed, casting the Cruciatus Curse. He could hear Bellatrix screaming in pain. He could feel her love for Voldemort. He could tell that she'd had poached egg on toast for breakfast this morning.

Voldemort pulled out of her mind and folded his hands in his lap. He pursed his lips and began to pet her hair a little bit. He felt the softness of her curls as he informed her,

"I think I got one of the McKinnons. As I was running toward you, I threw a Killing Curse out. I think it was a McKinnon."

She didn't answer. Voldemort licked his lip and whispered,

"Please wake up."

He could give her Invigoration Draught, he thought, but it would be temporary. Still, it was better than nothing. He Summoned some from his Potions Stores and opened her lips, pouring some of the Draught over her tongue. But she had to swallow it, so Voldemort massaged her neck until he felt her gulp.

"Good girl," he murmured. Finally Bellatrix blinked her eyes open slowly and asked in a voice hoarse from screaming,

"Where is my wand?"

"I have it," Voldemort assured her, and he touched at the pocket in his robe where he'd tucked it away. Bellatrix stared right at him and shook her head a little.

"Moody," she whispered. "Moody did this… to me…"

"I know," Voldemort nodded. "But you're my very greatest soldier, so we'll get you back in fighting order tout de suite, hmm?"

"I failed you," she huffed, shutting her eyes again, but Voldemort snapped,

"You did no such thing. Open your eyes."

Bellatrix did, blinking slowly and finally staring again at him. Voldemort scowled at her and said again,

"You are my best soldier. We'll have you fighting again before you know it."

"Are you angry, Master?" Bellatrix asked, and Voldemort tipped his head.

"With Moody, yes. Of course I am. With you? It takes a lot for you to make me angry, Bella. This isn't enough."

"No?" She reached for his hand, seemingly on instinct, and for some reason he let her take it. He let her slide her fingers against his palm, and then she leaned against the pillow and fell asleep again. Her hand went limp in his, and Voldemort knew that the Invigoration Draught had worn off.

Voldemort, for some reason, did not take Bellatrix's hand from his. He just sat there holding onto her fingers. The tea went cold on the cart. Voldemort studied Bellatrix's oval fingernails, her knuckles worn by extensive wand work in brutal conditions. Voldemort finally brought Bellatrix's knuckles to his lips and kissed them, and he stood slowly.

He walked into his sitting-room and stood against his writing desk, pulling out a parchment and a quill. He scribbled onto the parchment,

 _Lestrange,_

 _I will keep Bellatrix here until she's healed up. You and Abraxas will notify the others - we meet tomorrow night at nine, here at the Manor._

 _L.V._

"Dobby!" Voldemort barked, and the House-Elf quickly appeared in his rooms. Voldemort thrust the letter at the House-Elf and commanded,

"Send this to Castle Lestrange. Is Master Abraxas back yet?"

"He is, yes, sir," said Dobby.

"Tell him to inform the others that we meet here tomorrow at nine. I've got work to do," Voldemort said. Dobby nodded and quickly Disapparated with a _crack_. Voldemort walked back into his bedroom, back to where Bellatrix was lying on his bed in peaceful silence, and he murmured to her,

"Wake up, creature… you're my very best soldier, hmm?"

He bent and kissed her forehead, and she squirmed and whined a little. But then she seemed to fall as deeply asleep as ever, and Voldemort decided that a shower was very much in order.

 **Author's Note: I'm baaaaack. I'm really looking forward to writing this dynamic that's kind of mid-war with them already having an established physical presence with one another. Also, who doesn't love a good hurt/comfort fic where the comforter is a murderous sociopath? Thanks for reading; please do review if you get a moment. :)**


	2. Chapter 2

_August 1978_

 _Malfoy Manor_

"Bellatrix…"

She opened her eyes very slowly and saw a face beside hers. Specifically, she saw her lord and master. He was propped up onto one elbow. He was…

He was shirtless.

"Master." Bellatrix whispered the word in wonder. He was fifty-one years old, she knew, and it showed in the way he'd lost some of his tone over the years, in the way his hair was almost entirely grey. But she didn't mind one bit. What was the term? Silver fox. He was a silver fox to her at her twenty-seven years of age. And he was lying in a bed beside her, propped up, shirtless… Where were they? Malfoy Manor. She knew this room. She'd had sex with Voldemort here, almost a year ago now.

The memory of that, of being naked with him in this bed, made Bellatrix shiver. And then she promptly fell back to sleep.

"Bella."

She blinked her eyes open again to see Voldemort hovering over her a little bit, and she whispered once more,

"Master."

"He drained you with that Curse," Voldemort snarled in frustration. "He took all of your powerful energy and just sapped you. I wish I could just… inject it back into you somehow."

"I'm sorry," she murmured. "It hurt like hell."

"That's rather the point of the spell, isn't it?" Voldemort smirked, petting her hair. "You've tortured more people than I can count, Bella. Didn't you want to make them hurt like hell?"

"Yes, My Lord," she said, or at least she thought she said it. No sound seemed to come out. Suddenly there was a press of lips against hers, and Bellatrix's eyes sprang open.

Voldemort's quirked up smile grew, and his hand deepened on her hair.

"Well, that seemed to put a bit of pep into you," he mumbled. "Shall I try again?"

He bent and kissed her once more, his lips pushing more firmly against Bellatrix's. She moaned softly and tried to raise her hands up to grab at his face. She couldn't; she lacked the energy. But she did kiss him back. She did lick at his lip as he pulled away, and he grunted a little. He held her cheeks and turned her face a little, and he bent further to press his lips to her neck. He kissed her there, massaging her neck with his lips and tongue, and Bellatrix cried out and arched her back a little. She felt her nipples peak, felt herself flush between her legs. She was coming alive again. She was waking up for him.

"Master," she gasped, and now she could raise her hands and hold onto his head whilst he kissed and kissed at her neck. He just kept going; he seemed determined to drive her mad with it. It was its own form of torture, a delicious torture and far less cruel than what Moody had done to Bellatrix. She dragged her fingernails lightly down his bare back, and he hissed in pleasure against the skin of her neck.

"Master!" she cried, and he returned his mouth to hers. He kissed her so deeply that she couldn't breathe for a moment. His tongue plunged into her mouth and coursed up around the roof, and all she could do was squeal like a helpless piglet onto his lips. She wanted to touch his cock, wanted him inside of her, but suddenly she was tired again, and she fell back against the pillow, shutting her eyes.

"Mmm… good girl," Lord Voldemort whispered, kissing her cheekbones, then her forehead, then her lips. "You woke up for me, you good, sweet girl. Hmm. Rest now. Rest."

Bellatrix didn't see as she had much choice. She lay there on the bed, wet between her thighs, on fire for him, exhausted. All she could see in her mind was the green flash of light that came from his wand when he killed. All she could hear was her own scream of terror and pain as Moody's Cruciatus Curse wrapped round her in a web of red light. All she could feel now were his kisses, his touch.

She was madly in love with him and had been for years. Of course, she thought, it would be his intimacy to wake her. And that was the last thought she had before she fell very firmly and deeply asleep again.

* * *

"My friends," Voldemort said to those who had assembled at Malfoy Manor, "Yesterday's battle was a smashing success on many fronts. The Order of the Phoenix suffered, what, Malfoy, five deaths?"

"Four deaths and five serious injuries, My Lord," said Abraxas Malfoy proudly, and Voldemort smirked.

"I am pleased with all of your work in that battle. Pleased indeed. But you will surely notice that we are short one Death Eater at today's meeting."

"Bellatrix," said Rodolphus Lestrange gravely, and Voldemort sniffed, dragging his fingers over his short cropped hair.

"Bellatrix," he repeated. He nodded. "She took at least five minutes' worth of a Cruciatus Curse from Alastor Moody. What does that tell us?"

"They're willing to use Unforgivables!" cried Augustus Rookwood. "They'd limited themselves to baby spells before, but they'll fight on our terms now."

"That's right," Voldemort confirmed. "Perhaps Moody is bolder than the rest in using the Cruciatus. He always did have a powder keg personality. But Moody, at least, won't hesitate to kill. And we know they're all cowards; they flee when the battle gets out of control. Our new strategy is to cease the existing procedure of attempting to capture prisoners for information. We can't play that way anymore. Now we go straight for the kill. Every one of them, every time. Understood?"

He got nods of assent from around the table, and he asked Yaxley,

"How goes your position in the Department of Magical Law Enforcement?"

"I've yet to be seen without my mask in a battle, My Lord," Yaxley said, "so no one in the department has outwardly accused me of being a Death Eater. I continue to pass on all information I can to you, but I will say that the one person who matters when it comes to ultra-valuable information… Bartemius Crouch… he _does_ suspect me of being a Death Eater. And so he's keeping me away from the Aurors."

"Imperius him if you can," Voldemort said. "Do whatever you can to get nearer. Rabastan Lestrange, you've just been hired into Magical Games and Sports. See to it that there are no Mudbloods on the British Quidditch squads. That will take time, I know, but it is your task."

"I will see it done, Master," said Rabastan. Voldemort sighed heavily and folded his hands on the table.

"Dismissed," he said. "Lay low for a few weeks. We need quiet for a good long while."

The meeting room began to clear out, and then Voldemort saw that Rodolphus Lestrange was holding back. He hadn't seen the man's face since before the battle; he'd been masked in the heat of combat. Now his face twisted a little, and he approached Voldemort and bowed.

"Master," he began, but Voldemort said simply,

"She woke up for a brief while during the night last night, and for a very short time this afternoon."

"Do you suppose the damage is permanent, My Lord?" Rodolphus asked worriedly, and for a moment Voldemort actually wondered just how much Rodolphus Lestrange cared for his wife. Was it more than Voldemort had thought? What did that matter? He cleared his throat and shook his head.

"No, Lestrange," he reassured the man. "I do not suppose it is permanent. She has suffered extreme exhaustion of the soul due to the torture. The more she wakes up, the more she'll stay awake. Trust me, I have found out what wakes her, what keeps her awake for a little time, and… well, suffice it to say that I do not mind assisting her."

Rodolphus looked uncomfortable, but he nodded firmly and said in a confident voice,

"I put all my trust in you, as your devoted servant, Master. As I know Bellatrix would, if she were in a position to -"

"She will be just fine, Lestrange," Voldemort interrupted. "I will see to it."

"Thank you, My Lord," Rodolphus said, bowing again. He started to go, but he stopped by the door with his hand on the knob. He turned and said, "If you can, the next time she's awake, would you mind telling her I'm thinking of her?"

Voldemort tried to imagine caressing Bellatrix's breast and kissing her neck and telling her that her husband was thinking of her. He almost laughed at the idea, but instead he just tipped his head and assured Rodolphus,

"I shall tell her. Dismissed."

 **Author's Note: Ahhh… so she definitely wakes up a bit with some nice contact from Voldemort. And the more she's awake, the more she'll stay awake. Looks like these two need to get cozy. Thank you for reading and reviewing. Love to all.**


	3. Chapter 3

**Author's Note: Mini-chapter because this is one big juicy lemon.**

Voldemort stepped out of his shower and put a towel round his waist. Bellatrix was still sleeping. He cleaned his teeth and then pulled on a pair of black flannel trousers, and he aimed his wand at Bellatrix, doing basing coma care. He Scoured her teeth, hair, and flesh. He deodorised her. He Vanished the contents of her bladder and bowels. He forced her to drink a Hunger Ease potion, and he cleansed the nightgown Rodolphus had brought over.

Then he climbed into bed with her and sighed, wondering if he should do what he was thinking of doing. He wanted her to wake. He knew what would make her awaken.

He slid his hand beneath the blankets and edged up her nightgown, pushing his fingers into her knickers. He touched two fingers into the little thatch of hair there, down into the silky folds of her womanhood, and suddenly she gasped.

"Tell me to stop, and I'll stop at once," Voldemort said in a low voice from behind her, but Bellatrix bucked her hips against his hand and whispered,

"No. Don't stop."

"Mmph." He pulled her curls aside and kissed the skin beneath her ear, feeling her pulse accelerate beneath his lips. His fingers pulsed on her clit, which grew more wet by the moment, and she helplessly clutched at the blanket.

"Master!" she cried, and he knew he could make her come. He dug in a bit, firming up his touch between her legs and deepening his kisses on her neck. He asked in a low hum,

"Did I ever touch you like this? When you and I…?"

"No," she gasped breathlessly. "You were rather in and out."

He laughed a bit, a low grumble of a laugh, against her skin. Ah, yes. He remembered now. He'd always just brought her in here, ordered her clothes off, kissed her a bit, and fucked her until he found his pleasure. He'd never been concerned, not one iota, with whether or not she'd come. Now he needed her to do it.

"Come for me," he whispered. He suckled on her earlobe and dug his tongue into the flesh below and behind her ear. He pulsed and curled his fingers on her slit, entering her a few times to get lubrication. "Come for me, Bellatrix."

"Master." She purred the word, and suddenly Voldemort realised just how hard he was. He was in his trousers, folded up against her back, but he was _hard_. He wanted her, badly. He grunted against her neck and whispered it again.

"Come for me."

She did, good girl that she was. She clenched snugly around his fingers and threw her head back, and he caught her mouth up in a kiss. He kissed her right through it, feeling the tremble in her whole body as she came. He pulled his fingers from her and wiped them on the sheets, and then he pulled his mouth away, expecting her to fall straight back to sleep after that. But she didn't. She actually sat up, on her own, for the first time since taking Moody's Cruciatus Curse. Voldemort sat with her, shocked to see her up, but she gently pushed him back down and begged,

"Please, please will you let me ride you, My Lord?"

"R-Ride me?" He was utterly gobsmacked. Flabbergasted. He couldn't believe how very _awake_ she was, staring down at him with wild dark eyes and a flinty sort of need. He nodded, shoving his trousers down, and as he clutched his cock, he asked her,

"Are you still sterile?"

"I took a five-year potion two years ago, My Lord," she confirmed, and she worked quickly to rid herself of her nightgown and knickers. Voldemort huffed happily as she threw one leg over his and sank down onto him. She felt good. So good. Her breasts were beautiful. How had he forgotten her breasts? They were pert and round - so squeezable. He needed to squeeze them, so he did. He reached up and squeezed hard, until Bellatrix yelped in a bit of pain. Voldemort relished the way she was tight and wet and warm around him, and when she began to move, he groaned contentedly. His eyes rolled back a bit and he tipped his head back against the pillow, and he whispered,

"You know, I've just cleaned you up. I'll have to do it again."

Bellatrix was silent at that, and when he found her eyes, she seemed emotional. She kept bobbing, kept moving, but she asked seriously,

"You cleaned me up, My Lord?"

"Of course I did," he snapped. "Keep going."

She did; she kept moving in swaying, beautiful movements. Finally Voldemort snapped, and he felt his come shooting up into her body as his ears went hot and his throat went tight. Bellatrix slowly moved off of him, lying beside him, and Voldemort hurried to Scour them both clean. He knew she wasn't going to stay awake for long now.

"Master?" she asked as she pulled on knickers and a nightgown, and he just replied,

"Hmph?"

"My only memories since the battle are of you." She stared at him, and he shrugged.

"I've been the one caring for you, so…"

"Have you?" Bellatrix seemed abjectly affected by that as she lay on her side, staring at him in her nightgown. She was still awake, which amazed Voldemort. She asked him, "Where's Dolph?"

"Rodolphus is at Castle Lestrange. He… he worries over you." There. Voldemort had been true to his word and had reported Rodolphus' worry to Bellatrix. He felt silly and stupid doing so, and his throat felt tight and drawn as he pointed out to Bellatrix, "He was very concerned when he found you wounded in battle."

"He's not so bad." Bellatrix stared at the ceiling for a long moment, and Voldemort was so curious as to what she was thinking that he contemplated peering into her mind with Legilimency. But instead he just told her,

"The war rages on, you know. There will be more battles to fight, and I need you in combat form. I need you to heal."

"Yes, Master. I shall try my very best to heal as quickly as possible for you," she promised him, but he could tell she was fading fast. She blinked slowly and whispered, "I am so very tired again. I'm sorry."

"It roused you to be intimate with me. For longer this time. And you were _more_ awake. In the morning," Voldemort said, "I should like to wake you and have you attempt to stay awake to eat some breakfast on your own. Some porridge, perhaps. I think you can do it."

"I must do it." Bellatrix was drowsy now. She was whispering her words. Voldemort huffed and kissed her lips carefully, and he pet her hair as he told her,

"Sleep. You've an awful lot of torture to sleep off, so sleep now. Soon enough you'll wake for good."

"Goodnight, My Lord," Bellatrix mumbled, and Voldemort knew she was completely asleep before he sighed and answered her,

"Goodnight, Bella."


	4. Chapter 4

"Bellatrix…"

She awakened to the feel of his hand on her breast, to the feel of his lips on hers. She kissed him back immediately and then murmured,

"Master."

"Wake up," he ordered her. "I've had porridge and milk brought in. Come and eat it now. Come now, Bella."

She tried. She really did. But it was so, so difficult to rouse herself. Finally Voldemort peeled down her nightgown and suckled hard on her breast, making her gasp and making her eyes shoot open.

"There we are," he nodded, and he climbed out of bed. "Come now, Bella; food's getting cold."

"Food." She grumbled the word in confusion, but finally made her way up onto very shaky legs. Voldemort held her. He let her lean onto him and he held her as she stood. That felt very good, Bellatrix thought, and for a long moment, she just leaned against him. But then he whispered,

"Walk for me."

 _Come for me._ He'd said the two commands in almost exactly the same way, though of course this order was very different than being commanded into orgasm. Bellatrix took a step, and then another, and found that her legs were dreadfully out of practise. But he guided her, and so she eventually made her way to the sitting-room, where there was a small dining table. Voldemort held out a chair for Bellatrix, and she sat, yawning as gracefully as she could against a fist.

"I'm so tired, Master," she complained. He leaned down and kissed her hard, and Bellatrix felt herself start to wake up a little more. He smirked and sat opposite her, and Bellatrix studied the food that had been put before her. Porridge in bowls with sugar and raisins on the side, a little pitcher of milk, a cup of tea. Bellatrix found herself enormously hungry all of a sudden, and she whispered, "This looks magnificent."

"Good. Take a bite," said Voldemort. He ate some of his own porridge, and Bellatrix reached with a shaking hand to pick up her own spoon. She shoveled some porridge into her mouth, but her hand shook so badly that half of it went down the front of her nightgown. She was terribly embarrassed until Voldemort Vanished the mess and said simply, "Again."

Bellatrix fared better with her second attempt. She was able to bring an entire spoonful of porridge into her mouth, and then she realised it needed milk and sugar. She used her shaking hand to sprinkle some sugar and pour a little milk, and then she stirred it up.

"Good. You're doing very well," Voldemort told her, and Bellatrix said honestly,

"I had no idea that the Cruciatus Curse could do this to someone."

"Do you regret casting it so many times?" he asked playfully, "now that you've been on the receiving end?"

"No. Of course not, My Lord. All of my victims had this and more coming to them," she said tartly. She stirred her porridge some more and then ate a bite, and Voldemort seemed very pleased with how awake she was.

"Just to be certain you stay awake," he murmured, and he stood and walked over to her. He went down onto one knee beside her chair and seized her face in his hands, and he kissed her long and hard. She squealed a little into the kiss, surprised by how ferociously he was attacking her mouth with his. She liked it - _oh_ , she liked it - but she was admittedly taken aback by the force of the kiss. When at last he pulled away, Bellatrix was breathless and very, very much awake. He went to sit opposite her again, and he stared out the window for a moment. Bellatrix noticed that he was already dressed in robes, and she asked him,

"Are you very busy today, Master?"

"You occupy most of my time at the moment," he answered quietly. Bellatrix was shocked to hear that. She gulped and said sincerely,

"I'm very sorry."

"I need my best soldier back, and I'll do whatever it takes to get her in fighting form again," Voldemort said simply. "Make no apology for taking a battle wound, Bellatrix."

He sniffed lightly then, and something seemed to be affecting him a little bit, something Bellatrix couldn't quite put her finger on. She ate some more porridge, and then she heard Voldemort say,

"I wonder if you could cast a very simple Levitation Charm just now."

"I suppose I could," Bellatrix said, but Voldemort scoffed.

"You took many minutes of a Cruciatus Curse, Bella; you're drained in every conceivable way. It is probably most unwise to ask magic of you yet."

"I should like to try, Master, with your permission," Bellatrix insisted. Voldemort hesitated, but then reached into his robes and pulled out Bellatrix's oddly bent wand. When he pulled it out, he handed it to Bellatrix, and she gripped it very carefully. She took her teacup off of its saucer and aimed her wand at the saucer.

" _Wingardium Leviosa_ ," she incanted, and she made the swish-and-flick motion that was needed for the first-year spell. The saucer immediately rose off the table and floated in the air, and Bellatrix flashed Voldemort a little smirk. "You see, Master? I can do it just fine."

But then she began to feel overwhelmingly tired. She dropped the saucer; it clattered to the ground and shattered into a hundred shards. She nearly fell asleep sitting up, and then she dropped her wand.

The next thing Bellatrix knew, she was lying in the bed again. He was kissing her neck - He, Lord Voldemort - and petting her hair.

"Pretty thing," he murmured against her skin. "I ought to have known it was still too soon to ask you to do magic. You were doing so well eating breakfast, too."

"I was trying my best," Bellatrix whispered, "My Lord."

"I know." He moved his mouth to hers, and suddenly all she wanted was for him to be inside of her. But he informed her a little crisply,

"I do have a meeting this morning. With your husband."

"Oh." Bellatrix let him pull away, and she sat up slowly. "Is Rodolphus in trouble, Master?"

"No. He wants a status report on you," Voldemort said, almost coldly. "I suppose I ought to give him one. We can't wait too long before attacking again, whether you're well or not. I can't have Rodolphus distracted and dour. I need him fighting, too. So I'll put his mind at ease."

"Well, erm… will you tell him I said hello?" Bellatrix asked carefully, and Voldemort's face shifted strangely.

"Yes," he said tightly, "I will tell him that you said hello."

He rose from the bed, and Bellatrix could see a firmness in the trousers beneath his robes. He'd wanted her, too. He'd wanted to take her. He noticed Bellatrix staring there, and he insisted,

"It is a normal male human bodily function, you know."

"I know, Master. I'm sorry." Bellatrix stared at the wall, and Voldemort sniffed again, hurrying away as he said over his shoulder, "Get some rest. I'll be back in a while."

* * *

"Lestrange," said Voldemort as Rodolphus walked into the office. "Do sit down."

"My Lord," Rodolphus bowed, and he shut the door behind him. He anxiously approached the desk, sat, and asked, "How is she? How is she doing?"

Voldemort knitted his brows. He was surprised, he had to admit, but just how much Rodolphus seemed to care about Bellatrix's well-being. He'd been surprised ever since the day of the battle about that. So far as Voldemort knew, Rodolphus and Bellatrix Lestrange led very separate lives in their entirely arranged marriage.

"First of all," Voldemort said awkwardly, "She says… hello."

"She does?" Rodolphus looked like a lovestruck puppy then, and Voldemort's stomach sank. He gulped and remembered the taste of Bellatrix just minutes earlier. He nodded and said,

"She was able to rouse enough to eat some porridge this morning. She attempted magic, but it was too much for her; even a simple Levitation Charm knocked her straight out again. She roused again after that for a brief time. She is making fantastic progress, but it is slow. There was definite damage from the Curse. Moody held it just long enough that there is some damage that is just this side of permanent, and just this side of debilitating."

Rodolphus shut his eyes and sighed. When he opened his eyes again, they were rimmed red and wet.

"And when will she be able to come home?" Rodolphus asked. Voldemort's mouth fell open.

"Home," he repeated.

"To Castle Lestrange. To me," said Rodolphus helplessly. Voldemort's chest twisted. He had grown very accustomed to Bellatrix sleeping in his bed over the last few nights, and he quite liked it. He did not at all care for the notion of Rodolphus _wanting_ her at home, _wanting_ her to be near. It made him jealous. It made him… possessive? It was an odd, uncomfortable feeling, and Voldemort despised it. He swallowed, but he encountered a lump in his throat that he couldn't quite bypass. He finally said to Rodolphus,

"I will keep her here with me during the healing process. You concern yourself with being a soldier, Rodolphus. Soon enough we'll have more attacks, more battles. You worry about that. I passed on your greeting, and she said hello. What more do you want?"

He snapped that last bit in a crescendo, and Rodolphus looked rather afraid. He shook his head quickly and whispered,

"I don't want anything, My Lord. I would never ask anything of you."

"Good boy," Voldemort sneered. "Your wife is doing fine. Anything else? No? You may leave."

Rodolphus tentatively stood, and Voldemort barked,

"Go!"

 **Author's Note: So she's doing better, but Voldemort's realizing that Rodolphus actually cares for her and… so does Voldemort. Whoops.**

 **Also, to the Guest Reviewer who was very concerned that my icon was Natalie Portman as Bellatrix - 1) Please sign in if you want me to answer a question. 2) That's not Bellatrix; that's Natalie as Padmé from Star Wars. I write for LOTS of pairings. {Lockhart laugh} For more information, see my profile. In any case, I definitely use Helena at various ages as my Bellatrix model.**


	5. Chapter 5

"Who have you brought me?" Voldemort asked, walking briskly through the corridors of Malfoy Manor. Lucius Malfoy rather excitedly announced,

"We have brought Rufus Gabriel, My Lord. A known member of the Order of the Phoenix."

"Good. Leave me to play with him for a while," Voldemort commanded as they reached the steps down to the dungeons. His boots pattered down the stairs as his eyes adjusted to the weaker light in the dungeons. He blinked a few times until he could finally see properly, and then he smirked at the body that was huddling on the cold ground, wandless and powerless.

"Rufus Gabriel," said Voldemort, and as he walked up to the man, he kicked him hard. Rufus Gabriel let out a grunt of pain and curled closer up against himself, and he muttered,

"Not telling you nothing."

"No? We'll see about that. _Legilimens,_ " said Voldemort smoothly. But when he crashed into Gabriel's head, he encountered a smack of resistance. Voldemort yanked out and laughed, tipping his head back. "An Occlumens! Dumbledore has trained you well. But your Occlumency will be no good after a bit of the Cruciatus. _Crucio!"_

Rufus Gabriel writhed and squirmed, screaming like an animal as he was tortured. The scarlet web of light that was cast round him ensnared him like a trap. Voldemort held the spell for around thirty seconds, and then he immediately said again,

" _Legilimens!"_

This time, he had no trouble breaking through Gabriel's defences.

' _Alastor, you tortured a woman with an Unforgivable for eight minutes of this battle!' cried Albus Dumbledore, and Gideon Prewett exclaimed,_

' _Professor Dumbledore, it was Bellatrix Lestrange. If anyone's ever had it coming, it's her.'_

' _No one ever has the Cruciatus Curse coming!' Dumbledore retorted sharply. 'This is not our way! This is not how we fight, how we defeat him, how we…'_

Rufus Gabriel's Occlumency started to creep up again then, but Voldemort had seen enough. He could tell, too, that Gabriel had not seen Dumbledore since the day of the battle. He did not know anyone's location; they'd all gone underground after the battle the same way the Death Eaters had done.

"You were not entirely useless," Voldemort told Gabriel softly. "You've informed me that Dumbledore does not at all approve of Moody's techniques. And he's ordered the others not to fight like that. That's very useful information for me. Thank you very much indeed, Mr Gabriel."

"You will _never_ win," Gabriel snarled, but he sounded tired after even thirty seconds of the Cruciatus Curse. He sounded worn and broken. But Voldemort had not fully broken him yet. Now he would.

" _Avada Kedavra!"_ Voldemort cried, and once the vibrant green flash of light burst from his wand, he Vanished the body of Rufus Gabriel. He turned and walked up the stairs and hurried through the corridors, making his way up the winding stairs to his own quarters. He knew he'd find Bellatrix asleep inside, but he knew he could wake her.

He froze when he opened the door to his sitting room and found her sitting on the divan in there, dressed in a loose black gown and curled up with a book. She looked up when he entered the room, pale-faced and white-lipped, and he gestured for her to stay seated, for she would have normally stood in his presence.

"You're awake," he marveled, and she smirked a bit, waiting for the door to shut.

"I woke a bit and thought of you," she said, "and the more I thought of you, the more awake I became, Master, until I… well, my hand woke me up."

His eyebrows flew up, and he laughed a little, but she seemed unashamed. She'd touched herself to wake? That thought made him a little hard in his trousers, if he was honest. He gulped and sat opposite her, and he told her,

"I've just come from torturing a prisoner who informed me that Albus Dumbledore thoroughly disapproves of what Moody did to you. Apparently, that _isn't their way._ It _isn't how they fight._ "

Bellatrix laughed a bit and shook her head. "Stupid old man," she declared. "The Unforgivables are by far the most invaluable weapon in battle."

"And that is why I will win," Voldemort said, and Bellatrix nodded gravely.

"That is why you will win, Master."

"Your husband," he said seriously, folding his hands on one knee, "Was exceedingly concerned yesterday when I met with him about you."

"That's kind of him," Bellatrix smiled weakly. Voldemort felt a spike of anger go through him, and he demanded,

"What exactly do the two of you think of one another?"

Bellatrix's pale lips parted, and she shrugged helplessly.

"I don't know, My Lord. In the beginning, it was just an arranged marriage. We cared nothing for one another, I don't think. But then we began to slowly… you know… fall…"

"In love?" Voldemort snapped, his brows going up. Bellatrix shook her head, her eyes watering heavily.

"Not in love, I don't think. I've always been in love with you, My Lord, and I think you've known that for years. I think damned Rookwood's known that. Certainly Rodolphus has known it. And he's had little dalliances with other girls, because it would be unfair of me to insist he didn't. But even as we led separate lives, we were always drawn together a bit. Like the Sun and the Earth. I don't know why. He's always been very kind to me. He's always cared about my welfare. Dinner with him has always been pleasant."

"And are you physical with him?" Voldemort asked, dreading the answer. But Bellatrix shook her head and said seriously,

"No, Master. On our wedding night, yes, but only three or four times since then, and we've been married for almost ten years. I think it's understood that that isn't a part of our marriage."

Voldemort felt a wash of relief come over him. He nodded and sat in silence for a long while. He stared at his boot. Bellatrix finally asked him in a quiet voice,

"Master? Why is it that Rodolphus' reaction to my illness affects you so greatly?"

"I don't have to answer that," he snapped back, and she was silent for a moment before she murmured,

"You don't have to do anything. You're the Dark Lord. But I do wonder."

"Because," he said sharply, raising his eyes to her, "I have begun to feel strongly toward you, Bella. That's why. This isn't the way it used to be, when I'd order you to strip and I'd fuck you on the bed and that was the end of it. It isn't that way anymore, you understand?"

"I wish I did," Bellatrix said softly. She looked tired all of a sudden, like she was about to fall asleep. Voldemort stood and moved to sit on the divan beside her. He moved her until she was lying on his lap, and she snuggled up against him. She seemed very, very sleepy, and Voldemort wondered how long she'd managed to keep herself awake this time.

"Bellatrix," he gulped, "what I mean to say is that I feel very strongly toward you, and not just your body. And so it troubles me that there is another man who might feel similarly about you, you see? I confess to being a possessive man, a jealous man, and so right now I feel this way because I…"

He trailed off, realising that Bellatrix had fallen asleep on his lap. Voldemort stared down at her, petting her wild black curls, and he sighed. He carried her back into the bedroom and put her into the bed, and he told her gently,

"You did a good job staying awake, creature."

He left her alone in there, going out to his sitting-room and opening the window. A soft rain was falling outside, and Voldemort just stared at the falling rain as he thought. Was he becoming a fool for her? Did he even care anymore? He needed to speak with Rodolphus, he thought, and establish once and for all what it was that made Bellatrix stay awake.

 **Author's Note: Ohhhhh, dear. Thanks as always for reading and reviewing. I'm very grateful for the feedback!**


	6. Chapter 6

"Ah. Mr Lestrange," said Voldemort with feigned kindness as Rodolphus Lestrange came into his office. Rodolphus looked mildly suspicious as he shut the door, but he bowed as he approached the desk, and when he sat opposite Voldemort, he said warmly,

"My Lord. You Summoned me."

"So I did," Voldemort affirmed. He turned his chair a little and stared at his bookshelves. "I thought you might like an update on your wife's condition."

"Of course!" Rodolphus cried. He gripped the edge of the desk and leaned forward a little. "How is Bella doing?"

 _Bella_. Voldemort bristled. Those two syllables were his to use with her. He frowned and then gathered himself and announced to Rodolphus,

"She is particularly awake when I kiss her beneath her ear."

Rodolphus' mouth dropped open, and his thick brows furrowed. Voldemort smirked.

"That skin is so sensitive, you know. One press of my tongue to that flesh beneath her ear and she's wide awake. In fact, what's been keeping her nicely awake is attention from me. Or did you not know?"

"My… My Lord…" Rodolphus' cheeks went cherry red, and he shook his head a little.

"Are you angry with me?" Voldemort pretended to be shocked, and Rodolphus' eyes went utterly round.

"Of course I could never… could never be _angry_ with… with _you_ , Master," Rodolphus stammered, and Voldemort smirked again. He turned his chair back toward Rodolphus and drummed his fingers on his desk.

"One time she was so awake after I made her come that she wanted to ride me," Voldemort said, his voice light and airy as though he were reminiscing about an old memory. "And, oh, did she ride me, Rodolphus. Her beautiful breasts bouncing all the while. What lovely breasts she has, hasn't she?"

Rodolphus was silent, his face the colour of a tomato, and he just glared at Voldemort. He didn't say a word. Voldemort shrugged and said,

"Surely you knew she and I had been together before."

"Of course, Master," said Rodolphus through his teeth, and Voldemort laughed a little as he reminded Rodolphus,

"The two of you aren't even intimate, Rodolphus. Why is this affecting you so greatly?"

"I am in love with her, Master," Rodolphus admitted, and Voldemort felt a sudden spike of emotion go through his stomach. He cleared his throat and got serious.

"Well," he said, "we can't have that. Not given the circumstances. That's why I am declaring your marriage null and void."

Rodolphus' jaw dropped again. "Declaring my marriage…"

"Null and void, yes. From this day forward, it is, for all intents and purposes, as though you were never married to Bellatrix," Voldemort said plainly. He raised up his shoulders and said, "I don't care much for Ministry documents, as you well know, so I don't care one way or the other whether her name changes or whether papers get filed. I am Lord Voldemort, and my word is law. You are no longer the husband of Bellatrix Lestrange… Black. Whatever she chooses to go by."

"Master, please don't do this," Rodolphus pleaded, but Voldemort narrowed his eyes and threatened him,

"There's more than one method of getting someone out of the way, Lestrange."

Rodolphus' face faded to white then, and he gulped visibly. He nodded at long last, and he rose slowly.

"Please, may I go, sir?" he asked meekly, and Voldemort gave one crisp nod.

"Good day, Lestrange," he said, and Rodolphus just answered mournfully,

"Good day, My Lord."

* * *

Bellatrix sat in bed, trying to will herself into the bathroom. She needed to urinate. She needed to clean her teeth. She finally, finally managed to pull herself out from between the sheets and drag herself into the bathroom, using the toilet and the sink as though she were moving through honey. When she came back out into the bedroom, she was going to get dressed, but it seemed far too much. The bed was calling. Sleep. She wanted to sleep.

No. She needed to stay awake, to get back in fighting order for her master.

"Bellatrix?"

She snapped her head from where she stood and saw Voldemort come striding into the bedroom. He froze at the doorway, for he seemed surprised that she was up. Bellatrix smiled a bit at him and informed him,

"I relieved myself and cleaned my teeth all on my own, Master."

"Did you?" He seemed very proud of that, and as he approached her, he seemed something else. Hungry. He seemed hungry. There was a look in his eyes…

"Master." Bellatrix wrapped her arms around his shoulders when he came near, and he quickly said down to her,

"You're not married anymore."

"I'm not… what?" Bellatrix was confused. Voldemort bent and kissed her hard, but Bellatrix didn't kiss back. She was too baffled to do so. She just waited for him to pull away, and when he did, he stated,

"I declared your marriage to Rodolphus null and void. You are no longer married."

"But why would you do that, My Lord?" Bellatrix asked him, and his eyes flashed strangely.

"I've already told you," he said. "I feel strongly toward you, a sense of possession. You must be mine, not his. You can not be his, not whilst he's in love with you and I -"

"Dolph isn't in love with me, is he?" Bellatrix asked, and Voldemort snapped,

"That is hardly the point!"

So he was. Rodolphus did love her. Bellatrix gulped hard and whispered anxiously,

"I feel dizzy. Perhaps we can discuss this some other time."

"Fine. We'll discuss it some other time. In the meantime, I want you to try magic again," Voldemort said, pulling out her wand and handing it to her. "Scour the sheets clean."

Bellatrix turned toward the bed and aimed her wand hand at it. She shook a little and incanted,

" _Scourgify._ "

She almost fainted then, but she felt arms holding her up, a mouth at her neck, just below her ear, and she awakened again. He was holding her, kissing her. He whispered into her ear,

"I divorced you from him because I need you to be mine. Do it again. Scour the sheets."

" _Scourgify,_ " Bellatrix said as strongly as she could, and then she could see a notable difference in how crisply white the sheets were. Suddenly she was being pushed down onto the bed. Suddenly her nightgown was being pulled up, and her knickers were being pulled down. There was a heavy weight above and behind her, and then a voice beside her ear again saying,

"I need you to be _mine_ , Bellatrix, because I… I care for you just as much as he does. More! So you cannot be his, you understand? You must belong entirely to me. You are intelligent, and beautiful, and powerful, and… ungh…"

He'd pushed into her, though she wasn't very wet. She wasn't ready. Bellatrix licked at her hand and quickly brought it down between her legs to lubricate things. She repeated the action a few times, and then he moved more slickly inside of her. He pounded her quickly from behind, thudding against her cervix as he careened into her over and over. She wasn't going to come like this, she knew, but this wasn't for her. He was claiming her. He'd cancelled her marriage to Rodolphus, and now he was claiming her body. She was his.

And she _was_ his. She was his servant - mind, body, and soul. She had taken that vow when she'd become a Death Eater. She'd promised him everything. She'd promised him her whole self. And now she would get to give that whole self to him. So she cried against the sheets she'd just Scoured with her weak magic, and when he pulled out of her, she climbed up into the tear-stained sheets and fell asleep.

 **Author's Note: Well, if you like Possessive Voldemort, that should do it for you. Hahaha. Please do leave a review if you get a moment.**


	7. Chapter 7

Bellatrix stared at the apple on the table before her. She aimed her wand at it and mumbled a spell to Transfigure it so that it was purple. Then she made it green, then blue, then orange, then red again. She set her wand down on the dining table and huffed.

She was better now, she thought. She was all better. She could probably cast a Cruciatus Curse of her own, if she needed to. So there was no need at all for her to be shut up here in Voldemort's rooms anymore.

She had grown a little bitter toward him over the last few days, ever since he announced to her that he had cancelled her marriage to Rodolphus. After all, for all his faults, Rodolphus was not a bad man, not an evil man, and Bellatrix was rather fond of him. Being made to divorce him actually did upset her a bit, even if it meant she now belonged wholly to the Dark Lord. She had already belonged wholly to the Dark Lord, she thought. Why did she and Rodolphus have to be ripped apart from one another in order for that to be true?

"Bella." Voldemort came walking into his rooms, obviously having just come from some meeting or another, and Bellatrix slowly stood from her chair. She bowed her head and murmured quietly,

"Master."

"Why so glum?" he asked jovially. "It appears as though you're very awake indeed today. And I take it from the apple sitting uneaten on the table before you that you were performing magic. Go on. Show me."

"Yes, sir." Bellatrix turned and aimed her wand at the apple, changing its colour back and forth from red to purple to green to red again. She lowered her wand and smiled a bit at Voldemort, though she knew the smile did not reach her eyes. Voldemort's own smile faded when he saw her face, and he asked with what seemed like genuine curiosity,

"Whatever is the matter, Bella? You've healed so magnificently. What could be wrong?"

"It's… it's Rodolphus, My Lord," Bellatrix said, chomping on her lip, and Voldemort's face twisted into an ugly sneer. He took a few steps toward Bellatrix and raised his hand as though he meant to slap her. But then he lowered his hand, took a shaking breath, and twirled his wand in his fingers. He shut his eyes and smiled mirthlessly as he said,

"Bellatrix. You are _mine_."

"I've always been yours, My -"

"Do not argue with me!" Voldemort yelled, exploding suddenly. He pushed Bellatrix a little, and she gasped at the violence. His eyes flashed, and he grabbed at her shoulder and whispered,

"I'm sorry. I do apologise; I do not mind physicality toward anyone but you."

"Please, My Lord." Bellatrix covered his hand with hers and felt her eyes well. "Please just let me stay married to him as the friends that we were."

"But he said he was in love with you," Voldemort protested. "He said it very plainly; there was no equivocation."

"I know. I know what he said, My Lord, and I also know… what's wrong, Master?" Bellatrix asked, and Voldemort whipped back his left sleeve. He seethed in pain and whispered,

"I'm being called. To Castle Lestrange. Come. You're coming with me. Grab your wand; you have it? You must fight now, Bella. Let's go."

He grabbed her wrist and Disapparated at once, and Bellatrix almost vomited at the pinching, whirling sensation. She didn't have her mask, she thought. Ah, well. It wasn't as though they couldn't tell who she was, what with her springy black mass of hair coming out in all directions, her short height, her witch's clothing. She appeared at Castle Lestrange with Voldemort, and as soon as they landed, it was obvious what had happened. Rodolphus and Rabastan, who lived at Castle Lestrange, had been ambushed.

They were fighting admirably in the lawn in front of the castle, but they were fighting off Fabian Prewett, Alastor Moody, Melia Rafferty, and Felicity Linus. It was four against two.

"Bella," said Voldemort gravely, "I know all you were doing was Transfiguring apples, but I need you to kill today."

"I can do it, Master!" Bellatrix insisted. She dashed quickly up the little hill in front of the castle, dodging a Stinging Hex thrown by Felicity Linus. She aimed her own Killing Curse at Felicity, who Disapparated just in time and came to a few metres away.

"Bella!" cried Rodolphus, obviously worried to see her fighting. She flashed him a little grin and a wave, and she watched as Rabastan shot a poorly-aimed Killing Curse at Fabian Prewett. Voldemort whipped his wand at quickly eliminated Melia Rafferty, who was socked by Voldemort's Killing Curse so hard that she went flying backward into a tree.

"Melia!" screamed Felicity Linus, and Voldemort laughed maliciously.

"Bastard!" cried Moody, and he aimed his wand at Voldemort. Voldemort aimed his wand right back, triggering Moody's Disapparation, and suddenly Fabian Prewett aimed his wand at Bellatrix.

"Bella!" Voldemort warned, and Bellatrix threw up a giant Shield Charm. It exhausted her to hold the Shield against the Stunning Spell that Fabian Prewett had intended for her. But nothing prepared her for seeing Alastor Moody appear again, aim his wand at Rodolphus Lestrange, and incant,

" _Avada Kedavra!"_

"No!" Bellatrix screamed. Moody was killing now? Killing Rodolphus? No. This could not be. She watched as the green Curse rippled through the air and shot into Rodolphus' body. Rodolphus crumpled to the ground like a ragdoll, limp and lifeless.

"Dolph!" yelled Rabastan, and in his moment of inattention, he took a Stunning Spell from Felicity Linus. Bellatrix let down her Shield Charm and aimed it at Moody, shrieking with all of her might,

" _AVADA KEDAVRA!"_

Moody blasted backward just like Melia Rafferty had done. He tumbled end over end as the green light of Bellatrix's spell faded. Felicity Linus grabbed Moody's arm and Disapparated for good, and Fabian Prewett did the same with the body of Melia Rafferty. Suddenly the lawn outside Castle Lestrange was still and quiet.

"Dolph!" Bellatrix shrieked, and she dashed over to where he lay crumpled on the ground. Rabastan came over with running steps, but Voldemort wisely kept his distance. Bellatrix cradled his head in her arms and stared at his lifeless face. He and Rabastan hadn't put their masks on, either. No need for secrecy when they'd been ambushed at their own home. Bellatrix bent and kissed Rodolphus' unmoving lips, tears streaming silently down her cheeks as she did.

"He fell for you, Master," she whimpered, raising her eyes to where Voldemort stood. Voldemort nodded slowly.

"He was a fine soldier and a fine servant. And he was your husband."

"He was my husband," Bellatrix nodded, petting Rodolphus' hair. She was exhausted now; fighting had worn her out beyond anything she could imagine. All she wanted in this moment was to sleep. But she couldn't do that. Rodolphus needed her. Rodolphus needed her to hold him. She cradled him up against her chest and gripped Rabastan's hand, and she wailed once more, "He was my husband."

"Bellatrix," said Rabastan carefully, "we need to get off the lawn in case anyone comes back. Give him to me; I'll take very good care of him and see to it that he's buried properly."

War deaths were not given elaborate funerals. There was no time for them, and it wasn't safe to gather like that. So Rodolphus would be buried privately, like the others who had fallen. Bellatrix swiped at her eyes and nodded quickly. She kissed Rodolphus' forehead and whispered,

"Goodbye, Dolph."

She let Rabastan Levitate his body away, leaving Bellatrix alone, kneeling on the ground. Voldemort finally came over and crouched down, staring into her watery eyes. She found herself less angry with him, all of a sudden, than she'd been before. His face seemed to have softened a bit. He opened his mouth, closed it, and then finally said gently,

"You fought magnificently."

"I am so tired," Bellatrix complained, and Voldemort nodded.

"So you shall rest. He was your husband, Bellatrix. Come with me. Let's get you cleaned up."

 **Author's Note: Oh, dear. Poor Rodolphus. But Bellatrix is back to fighting strength and is a widow now. Hmmm… I do apologize for the relatively short length of recent chapters. I have been finishing up my latest original novel. It should be up within the next few days on Amazon and is entitled** _ **Sing For Me: A Chicago Story**_ **for any interested parties.**


	8. Chapter 8

For three days she sulked around Malfoy Manor, draped in black lace, a widow in mourning. He let her do it, let her be the sorrowful witch she needed to be, until at last he could no longer take the morose behaviour and finally said to her,

"He fell in battle, Bellatrix. We have lost many soldiers."

"So we have, Master," Bellatrix affirmed. She tipped her head up across the dinner table at him, and, at the end of the third day, she nodded and told Voldemort, "I have mourned my husband. Now is the time to serve you properly."

"You have always served me properly," Voldemort assured her. "I was astounded by how well you fought the day of the battle where he fell. I was shocked to see you fight like that so soon after sustaining such grave injuries."

"The injuries have faded, I think, Master," Bellatrix said, drumming her fingers on the dinner table. She sighed and said quietly, "It's been different… between you and I."

"Different," he repeated. "Yes, I suppose it has."

"Last year, and before that," Bellatrix said, staring across the table at him, "you played with me like I was a doll, like I was some sort of toy. It doesn't feel that way now, Master."

"You are not a toy," he informed her crisply, balling up his napkin and placing it on the table. Bellatrix gulped and told him,

"I am in love with you, My Lord."

"I know you are," he nodded, and she whispered,

"Are you…?"

"What? No." He shook his head and felt his stomach flop. "I could never… you must understand, Bellatrix, that I do not even understand what it means to be in love. I could never feel it. I care for you, deeply, and I possess you in your entirety, but I -"

"I'm sorry, Master. I did not mean to offend you," Bellatrix said quietly. Voldemort licked his lip and then dragged his thumb there, and he said,

"You'll serve me in battles and you'll serve me in bed. You'll be mine. You'll be mine in every way. Every single way. Won't you?"

"Of course I will, Master," Bellatrix smiled, just a bit sadly. "I'll be yours in my heart and mind and soul and body forever and ever."

"Good," he said, putting his napkin on his lap. "Let's finish dinner."

THE END

 **Author's Note: I'm cutting this story short - sorry about that. I just can't drag this one out while I'm in the middle of writing an original novel and when I have two novel-length fanfic ideas swimming in my head. I'm debating whether or not to start those. One idea is that Bellatrix in 1982 falls asleep in Azkaban (sound familiar?) and wakes up as a young witch in Hogwarts in 1944. It combines some Tom Riddle time travel ideas with some other tropes I've used before, and I'd love to write it. That would be called** _ **An Empty Glass**_ **. The other idea is to continue/extend my Dramione fic,** _ **Recompense and Redress.**_ **If you have a preference for what you'd like to see, let me know. Thanks for reading this little drabble.**


End file.
